lasting or intended to last or be used only for a short time; not permanent temporary relief from pain I'm looking for some temporary work. They had to move into temporary accommodation. a temporary measure/solution/arrangement More than half the staff are temporary. opposite permanent Wordfinderworkadministrative, freelance, managerial, manual, part-time, seasonal, skilled, temporary, voluntary, work Oxford Collocations Dictionary verbsbe adverbvery, strictly, merely, … See full entry See related entries: Describing jobs Word Originmid 16th cent.: from Latin temporarius, from tempus, tempor- ‘time’.Extra examples 25 000 households are living in temporary accommodation. I’m afraid using volunteers can only be a temporary solution to the problem. More than half the employees are temporary. The job’s only temporary, while their secretary’s on maternity leave. These pills should give you temporary relief from the pain, just until you can get to a dentist.
Check pronunciation: temporary
